Fed Govt Offers Visa Waivers To Eastern Caribbean States

Holders of diplomatic and official passports from Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) may no longer need visas to travel to Nigeria.

There are seven member of the OECS. These are: Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

This is courtesy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s waiver proposal.

The president also  proposed the establishment of a formal Joint Commission or Political Consultation Agreement between Nigeria and the OECS, aimed at strengthening structured collaboration across key sectors and enhancing the historic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

Tinubu broke the news while addressing a special joint session of the Senate and House of Assembly of Saint Lucia at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom, Sandals Grande Resort.

He emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to forging deeper partnerships with the OECS and its member states, spanning trade, investment, education, culture, health, and climate resilience.

“In consideration of the strategic importance that my country attaches to OECS, we have formally established diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia. This diplomatic move is a symbolic bridge that will provide a gateway to fostering ties between us”, Tinubu said.

 “To further deepen our partnership, I recommend that our two parties initiate negotiations towards a formal agreement on a joint commission or political consultation—such a framework will provide a structural platform to explore and advance cooperation across a broader range of mutually beneficial areas.”

The president, who is on a state visit to Saint Lucia, was  received by the Saint Lucian legislature and leaders from across the OECS, including heads of government and representatives from Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, the Premier of Montserrat, Saint Martin, and Saint Vincent.

Citing Nigeria’s economic reforms and outward-looking strategy since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu said his administration is keen on building strong international partnerships.

“When I assumed the office of the President of Nigeria in May 2023, my administration embarked on series of economic and social reforms… to put the country on the path of sustainable growth and development,” he noted.

He explained that the visit to Saint Lucia was in line with Nigeria’s renewed global engagement agenda and an effort “to explore areas of cooperation and collaboration between the Eastern Caribbean States.”

President Tinubu identified trade and investment as core pillars of potential collaboration, pointing to Nigeria’s economic size and diversity.

“Nigeria’s vast natural resources and its position as the largest market in Africa present significant opportunity for the OECS, both as a source of essential input and as a growing export destination,” he stated.

“Together, we can leverage our respective strengths to attract investments, create jobs and foster joint ventures that benefit both our peoples,” the President added.

He also highlighted the potential for deeper educational and scientific cooperation, advocating exchange programs between Nigerian and OECS maritime universities, saying “such partnerships will build technical capacity, but also foster mutual understanding and long-term academic collaboration”.

Beyond education, the President called for joint scientific research initiatives to address shared health challenges, as well as climate adaptation strategies.

“We can deepen our understanding and enhance collective resilience,” he said, referencing joint efforts on climate change, hurricane response, and sustainable agriculture to ensure food security.

In addition to institutional cooperation, Tinubu called for greater people-to-people engagement through cultural exchanges, tourism, and visa facilitation.

“It is essential that we invest in cultural and human exchanges that build mutual understanding from the ground up among our peoples,” he said, stressing the importance of heritage awareness among younger generations.

“In a concrete step towards this goal, Nigeria is open to exploring a visa waiver arrangement for holders of diplomatic and official passports from OECS member states traveling to Nigeria. I respectfully urge a reciprocal gesture to enable smoother movement of officials and foster closer institutional cooperation”, he announced.

President Tinubu also pledged to extend Nigeria’s Technical Aide Corps to the OECS countries to support capacity development efforts across key sectors.

“We will provide skilled professionals to support capacity building efforts across all sectors in your region,” he said.

In a goodwill gesture, the President offered full tuition scholarships to students from OECS countries, stating: “I will establish full scholarship tuition for students of OECS.”

Quoting both Marcus Garvey and an African proverb, Tinubu concluded with a call for unity, mutual support, and long-term partnership between Nigeria and the Eastern Caribbean region.

“Let us journey together, united in purpose and fortified by our common heritage. Africa belongs to all of us. We need to continue to promote that”, he urged.

President  Tinubu and Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia have pledged to establish formal diplomatic relations between their two nations, marking a new chapter in Africa-Caribbean engagement.

The commitment was made during President Tinubu’s courtesy visit to the Prime Minister’s residence in Castries on  Sunday. It was  the second day of his  visit to the Caribbean Island nation.

Welcoming the Nigerian delegation, Prime Minister Pierre hailed the ongoing bilateral discussions as promising and said both sides were enthusiastic about the prospects of closer cooperation.

“There is an air of enthusiasm and optimism about the future of relations between our countries,” he said.

President Tinubu thanked the government and people of Saint Lucia for their warm reception and hospitality. He described Saint Lucians as “valued friends and brothers,” and emphasized the cultural and historical bonds between Nigeria and the Caribbean.

“Our two nations are bound by history, culture, and common aspirations. We are determined to nurture and expand this relationship,” the Nigerian leader said.

He affirmed that efforts currently underway would serve as a foundation for broader cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural exchange.

These efforts, he added, would also help to improve consular services for citizens of both countries.

“This is a bridge between Africa and the Caribbean, a pathway to deepen economic ties and foster mutual understanding. It reflects our desire to advance prosperity, solidarity, and sustainable development,” Tinubu said.

The Prime Minister also spotlighted Saint Lucia’s emerging global cultural identity, citing the internationally acclaimed Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival as a model of cultural diplomacy with potential for partnership.

“There is much that we can share with Nigeria as it seeks to establish itself as a centre for global entertainment, particularly in the film and music industries. Moreover, there is incredible potential for people-to-people exchange”, Pierre noted.

Pierre lauded Nigeria’s historic achievements in higher education and praised Tinubu’s visit to Sir Arthur Lewis Community College as a significant gesture.

He said the visit aligned with his government’s ambitious education policy, which aims to ensure that every household in Saint Lucia has at least one university graduate.

“Nigeria’s accomplishments in higher education are historical and well known. Our distinguished Nobel Laureate, after whom the College was named, postulated that the key to development lay in education,” the Prime Minister said.

The Saint Lucian leader also took a broader view of international affairs, pointing to the shifting nature of global power dynamics and the need for stronger South-South cooperation.

“Your visit comes at a time of heightened global insecurity and fundamental shifts in the exercise of power by the major powers in the Global North. There is growing uncertainty about the basis and motivation underlying international relationships”, he said.

The Nation